Timeless
by ForestOfGreed
Summary: She was the center of everything. From her branched the past, the future, and so on. She hadn’t always known that was her destiny. But eventually, she knew. Too bad it was too late when everyone else realized the true path of Konno Makoto.
1. Prologue

**S****UMMARY**: She was at the center of everything. No, she was the center. From her branched the past, the future, and so on. She hadn't always known that was her destiny. But eventually, she knew. It was just too bad it was too late when everyone else realized what her path was.

**P****ROLOGUE**

She was almost there. Just so close to finishing. It was useless, what they had assigned her. She had figured that out as soon as she had heard of the project. She even reported so. But to keep her precious research, she needed another concept. Inspired by her high school days, she had proposed the creation of such a device she was working on. She had been backed with a full, perhaps even excessive, force of researchers that she was at the head of. But one by one, they all left. They never gave her a proper reason. All they could say was, "Sorry, Konno-sensei".

But she didn't blame them. If she didn't blame them, there was no need to forgive them. They needn't have said sorry. Because she knew this was always meant to be _her_ project and hers alone. It was all that was left for her. She had given too much to the damned thing to back out now. She would only get something back when a prototype was finally created.

Her sister once asked her why she was so determined to work on such a hopeless project. Miyuki went into the medical field, and became an accomplished surgeon, what with her caring and logical disposition she had developed over the years. But she couldn't understand. Because she didn't know the truth. She didn't know enough, Miyuki _couldn't_ know enough. Only her older sister had the ability.

After she had entered the world of physics, she had surprisingly understood most concepts easily. Added to her deep determination, she had been quickly labeled a prodigy. At least, she was in Japan. In America, however, she was scorned as an ignorant foreigner. So she persisted there as well. Eventually, she became a world-renowned figure is the field of physics, particularly toward her theories on time. But it still wasn't enough. She relentlessly pushed and fought her way to the top, to the point where she was employed by the government as a researcher. Within there, she still found ones higher than her on the endless chain of researchers. The difference was she _wanted_ the top. She _needed_ it. And she used everything she knew, everything she _had_ to prove she deserved it. When she found it wasn't enough, her mind soon overtook the primitive hypothesis, and sometimes theory, against her and refined it almost to the point of perfection. All just to see him again.

But when she finally reached the zenith of her career, she was forced back to reality. There was no one above, also meaning no one to challenge her, no goal for her to overtake. And she reached the first real impediment for her to face. So she went straight to the source: her inability to develop all her theories over the years into an actual object that could be used. She requested the allowance and resources from the government for her project. They refused the first time. Over and over, she pursued her dreams until they finally recognized the merit of her project. But even then, she needed something to rise over. Eventually, she broke the barrier of her era and exceeded her supposed "high point" of her dedication.

And even then, she hadn't found her true purpose. But she had now. And she was following what was set out for her – with perhaps a few twists of her own along the way.

She suddenly remembered something her dear aunt had said to her long ago when she was overworking herself.

_"When you feel like there's no answer, while at the same time, you know there is, just close your eyes and let your mind wander. You may be surprised at how useful it may be."_

Gently closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she though back to happier days. More specifically, she imagined her high school life. When she first met Chiaki, when they – Chiaki, Kousuke, and herself – became best friends, and when she first started time-leaping. As the multiple scenes and emotions filled her now complex mind, a solution slowly pieced itself together somewhere to the side. And, just like that, it was completed. But she could enjoy her memory montage for just a little longer.

An hour later, it was completed. At 11:31 in the evening, the two prototypes for time-leaping were completed. It was a much smaller than the one Chiaki had showed her so long ago, but she figured it would increase in size over the years that would pass before his time, for convenience. That is, if they ever were able to procure either prototype in the first place. But she also _knew_ that it wouldn't even be attempted to be improved upon until much later. For the first time since she was a teenager, she time-leapt.

Twenty-three minutes later, she returned. She placed the device in a locked box of her own creation, secured by a code only a select few knew. Just in case they couldn't get the box to open, she left blueprints and a summary of her research for the future researchers who would be just as bright and creative as she. Finally, she wrote a note addressed to those who would search for her in a language that would be understood by no one in her era. At the very bottom, in the same odd language, she wrote a small greeting to one specific person who she knew would eventually read it.

Maybe they might even figure out the code to open her box.

With a final enigmatic smile, she disappeared. The time read 12:00 AM. Left on her desk was the box that contained one of the two time-leaping prototypes and her note stuck onto the top of it with a piece of tape. A separate strip of paper was glued onto the box. It only read one confounding message.

_Love, Makoto.

* * *

_

**A/N: Yes, I should be working on my other stories. Yes, this should be much longer (though it _is_ the prologue). And yes, the summary makes no sense whatsoever. No, Top Ramen does not fall from the sky randomly, unfortunately for some of my friends.**

**This idea popped into my head while I was re-watching the animated movie while thinking about my Hikaru no Go story (yes, almost no relation at all). Suddenly, Akira's capability as a prodigy mixed with the main character (namely Makoto) and a genius Makoto appeared. It's not the most realistic idea, but I figured the experience must have affected her life drastically, especially since she would have eventually realized there was no way she was going to meet Chiaki naturally following the timeline.**

**Well, please tell me what you think! Sorry if it's not to your tastes!  
**


	2. Long Ago

**S****UMMARY**: She was at the center of everything. No, she _was_ the center. From her branched the past, the future, and so on. She hadn't always known that was her destiny. But eventually, she knew. It was just too bad it was too late when everyone else realized what her path was.

**C****HAPTER ****O****NE –** _LONG AGO_

He scanned the images; searching for information on the time-traveling device he had heard rumors of at the university. If he could just get his hands on one, or maybe even just find the blueprints to build one, he could go back and see that painting. He'd do anything, _anything_, just to see that painting. If only he could see the original painting, he would spend years searching for a way to return to the past. Fortunately, he didn't have to.

_**???? TIME-TRAVELING BLUEPRINTS FINALLY LEGIBLE**_

_ World-renowned researcher ???? disappeared from her research lab, supposedly right after she had made a breakthrough discovery by creating a device allowing a person to travel in time. She left blueprints, unreadable at the time, and a note, both written in a strange language that could not be decoded. Now, over two centuries later, we have discovered she used a language recently developed by genius student Eden Relic. Ms. Relic was not available for comments on her views toward ???? device. However, she did note that she only began her endeavor in a new language when she graduated college at age 19. Ms. Relic is now 27 and is attempting to create a writing system for her new language in hopes it may be effective in the future._

_ The blueprints for the time-traveling device are, unfortunately, extremely difficult to understand, despite how primitive the world was so long ago. Maya Yoshiyama (17), a known living descendent of the aunt of ????, has told the press that stories have been passed down through her family, some involving her ancestors from ???? time._

_ "My grandmother once told me my ancestor was a great researcher, and had success in the field of what was called physics back then. She said they didn't have a specific field for time yet. My ancestor was a genius in physics and at a young age rose to the very top of her field and was left unsurpassed. I'd compare her to Leonardo Da Vinci, you know? That brilliant man way back in the 1400s?"_

_ Though legends are bound to become a bit twisted over time, to be compared to Da Vinci is enough in itself. Though it may be a while before we can fully understand the notes and blueprints for the time-traveling device, we can be sure it is a complex device invented by the brilliant prodigy researcher ????._

The name was unable to be translated, as it was the old language used in ancient Japan. The article itself was a little erred, as it was written in the language used when _Haven_ was first constructed. He briefly recalled it being called English. Because of this, he doubted anyone, even in that time, really knew how to pronounce the name of the researcher.

But the crucial thing was that the blueprints and notes were in his language. After all, one of the most important things you learned was that Eden Relic was the creator of their language. He knew it was one and the same. The fact that it was in the language also meant the device must have worked. After all, how else would the researcher have learned it well enough to write such complicated messages?

Oh, but if only he could acquire scans of her notes! He suspected it was restricted access, and without help, he would not be able to get through. Of course, it wasn't _impossible_. His older sister, after all, was the head scientist at the lab to recreate the time-traveling device. She had always tried to keep him away from the truth of the matter, but now that he knew, all it would take was a little pleading, and she could get him the scans.

His cousin, a descendent of Eden Relic, had inherited the thought-to-be-lost genius of his ancestor. As such, Raven Tsuda (amazingly managing to keep an actual ancient family name) always thought logically.

"Why don't you just ask your sister to give you it when it's done?"

"But that might take another number of years! Besides, I know she won't. But she might give me access to the blueprints themselves. She doesn't think I can build it."

"You probably can't," Raven pointed out.

"No, I can." The discussion was over once his cousin heard the determination in his voice.

A year later, he was almost finished. Only one piece was missing: the actual chemical that allowed one to travel through time. For this issue, he went to the chemist on his sister's team, Ken Sogoru.

"Ah…well, the truth is, we _do_ have an incomplete version of the final product. The problem is, some of the ingredients can't be found anymore, and so, until recently, we had an unstable chemical that forced the traveler back in time. However, he would have no control over where he landed. But we did manage to get an old flower called lavender. It stabilized the chemical, but it's not the perfect ingredient the creator had in mind. You can only travel back." He said this with a wistful look on his face as he told the teenager the defects in their current chemical.

But the determined young man accepted this easily. He only needed to travel back anyways. "Well, if that's the case, I'll give you some. It'll only be enough for twenty charges, though, okay? There are some restrictions too. If anyone from the past discovers any of this information, you must return immediately. Don't interfere with the past, either. Though, most of the time, fate comes into play and it turns out alright anyways." The chemist said with an amused expression. He gave the boy a small vial. "I believe if you put this inside the container, then charge yourself to a certain degree, you should be able go back. How far back depends on your determination, though." As the certainly determined young man stood to leave, Ken told him something different, almost as if it was a side note, yet it felt important.

"By the way, it's not time-traveling. It's time-leaping."

When he poured the solution into the walnut-like container, when he charged himself with three time-leaps, and when he took a deep breath filled with a desire to see the painting with his own eyes, to bring its memory back home, he could never have known that one step he took would set fate's wheels in motion. He could have never known how much he would discover when he went back to the past. He could have never known he would eventually walk a similar path as Ken Sogoru.

He could have never known one girl would define his whole existence as Chiaki Mamiya.

* * *

**A/N: Another short chapter, unfortunately, but it's an update nonetheless. Within the same day too! Once again, it doesn't completely make sense, but I hope you can fill the missing holes with your imagination for now. At least until I fill them myself in later chapters.**

**I wasn't actually planning to explicitly reveal Chiaki's name in this chapter, though it'd heavily implied. But it just kinda...fit in there, so I went with it. By the way, the names are in Western order (meaning family name last) because, supposedly, the world went through something that changed it entirely, so I assumed the population decreased or something. Plus the fact Ken Sogoru's name was mentioned in Western order in the novel, I assumed the future was like that.**

**Please enjoy this (short) chapter!  
**


	3. Too Close

**S****UMMARY**: She was at the center of everything. No, she _was_ the center. From her branched the past, the future, and so on. She hadn't always known that was her destiny. But eventually, she knew. It was just too bad it was too late when everyone else realized what her path was.

**C****HAPTER ****T****WO –** _TOO CLOSE_

"Dear God, what did you do this time, Makoto?" a concerned young woman muttered to herself when she read the daily newspaper _Haven_ authorities handed out every morning. "Oi, Tsuda! Go call up Maya and her granny!"

"Jeez, woman, what are you yelling about so early in the morning?" The disgruntled, but still awake and dressed, Train Tsuda stumbled through the door that marked the entrance into his single dorm room. "Why don't you go yourself? They're right next to this dorm." His dorm mate sent him a cold, suppressive glare.

"Stop whining, you drunkard! On that topic, take a shower when you get back, you smell like that whore you brought in yesterday. I hope you sent her home safe!" Despite being irritated at having to deal with the most likely tired (read: nagging) Yoshiyamas, he had enough energy to enjoy one of his favorite pastimes – teasing his female genius counterpart.

"Why? Jealous?" He had to duck as one of the many heavy, large, _painful_ books in the dorm's homeroom was flung, aiming for his head. "Whoa! Don't mess up the hair, now; wouldn't want to disappoint my fan club!"

"Effin' go already, retard!"

"Watch your language, honey!" he called over his shoulder when he was almost halfway down the hall. He faintly heard the polyglot cuss in quite a few languages before he was out of range for either of them to hear each other.

Needless to say, by the time coffee had been served to the Yoshiyamas, Train was tied up in the corner (thought without duct tape, for dear Eden felt it would have been too cruel).

"What's _this_?" Eden pointed to the front page article. Maya calmly sipped her coffee.

"A story I made up to get the press off my back."

"Uh huh…so instead of admitting you actually met your ancestor because she decided to travel through time to meet me on a whim, you imagined up a false legend so reporters would be satisfied? Are you crazy!?"

"Eh, you're talking to someone related to Makoto-chan, hon. Ne, Granny Yoshiyama, what do you think?" The aged woman looked to be deep in thought. Second by second, she continued the dull silence. Eventually, they noticed something was off.

"Granny, stop sleeping with your eyes open again!" Train yelled. After a brief session involving a scolding Shuri Yoshiyama and Train escaping from his bonds, the room managed to calm down enough for the group to talk. In the end, they decided to leave the issue alone and see how it plays out. If it came to drastic measures, they would have to rely on Makoto's goodbye gift.

"Ugh, why couldn't Makoto just have left us some instructions? She definitely knew this was going to happen!" Eden exclaimed, shaking her head. Train, standing behind the strained young woman, patted her head gently in understanding. Swiftly, he offered his chest, covering and silencing the growing shaking sobs of the still vulnerable girl. "Tch…" She sniffed, unsuccessful in trying to hide her tears from her long-time friend. "…Why did she have to leave me alone?"

Unable to answer he complex question, Train could only support his childhood friend to the couch so she wouldn't be tired while she cried on his shoulder. For once, she didn't resist his attempts to help.

Half an hour later, Eden had cried herself to sleep on Train's shoulder. While she was unaware, he took the chance to work on his novel; the first biography he ever decided to write.

_When Makoto left us, Eden was only 21, training to perfect her use of the language Makoto had helped her develop. Despite what she announced publicly, she actually had always had the dream of creating her own language, and had been working on different forms of writing, including unique ideographs to odd variations to different phonic alphabets from a multitude of languages. With Makoto's assistance and advice, she managed to create a prototype, of sorts. From age 15 through 17, Eden would refuse to speak anything but her own language to Makoto, the only one who could understand her. I, of course, eventually picked up and few words, and was later taught the language by the proud creator herself, and soon, I noticed slight differences in our caretaker from childhood that would eventually lead to her disappearance._

_ Many years ago, when we finally understood how people died of old age, we asked Makoto why she never looked older every year. She smiled and gave us an explanation she knew we couldn't understand at that age. We certainly can figure it out now._

_ She said she was the product of a side effect of her time leaps. Immortality? Hardly. It was, in effect, a punishment, at least in her eyes. Makoto can never again feel "at home". She was and is doomed to continue her life of time-leaping, never able to belong in a time of her own. The worst part for her? Being forced to watch her loved ones pass by. Unlike herself, who leaps in circles around and around, we continue in a straight line. Or, to be more specific, a segment of a line. There is a beginning and an end for us. Because there is such a thing as an end, we can enjoy life. But Makoto is a being who has defied laws nature set for us, from her view. So, the only question left for her to solve: will she continue to exist without company?_

He couldn't write any further that day. Though it was a rather odd place to end the chapter, Train knew it was the only place he could. He didn't know enough about Makoto to write a biography on her. Besides, it would seem pointless, and rather frivolous. Eden, on the other hand, was different. She was amazing – young, talented, beautiful…and he had known and loved her from early childhood. It was a simple, detailed account of her life. If she would only allow it…

His dreams that night were peaceful.

They made a promise when they had barely lived a decade. It was unassuming, childish. Train didn't even know if Eden still remembered it.

_"Ne, Train?"_

_ "Hm?"_

_ "If I forget who you are, what will you do?"_

_ "…That's not going to happen."_

_ "Why? It could."_

_ "Even if it did, you'd still know me. I swear you'll always be able to recognize me."_

_ "Okay! Then I swear I'll always come back to you. That way, even if I do forget who you are, you can remind me when we meet!"_

It was sealed with an interlocking of their left pinkies.


End file.
